Parents and children in Nasirabad, Khilgaon, are this week celebrating the inauguration of the brand new Iqra Ideal School that comes with a lifetime guarantee – no corporal punishment!
 
Tenacious anti corporal punishment crusader Sir Frank Peters agreed to perform the official opening after headmaster Mohsin Hasan, and the entire teaching staff, vowed never to inflict corporal punishment on a pupil.
 
In his speech, he said: “The very foundation of the nation is built on schools just like this; modest in their appearance, but magical in their awesome power. These are the mental gyms where young developing minds are exercised and prepared for universities and far beyond,” he said.
 
Sir Frank emphasized that at every stage of their development, children should be encouraged and motivated to think and act positively in all that they do and no space be given in their precious minds to harbouring negative, worthless, self-destructive thoughts.
 
“A teacher’s task is to foster learning which is best done in a happy, fun-place-to-be environment and the greatest gift any teacher can give a student is encouragement, appreciation, respect and never to belittle their efforts,” he said
 
“Most students are not of Albert Einstein intellect, but some could become Prime Minister, Opposition Leader, Mark Zuckerberg, or the Bill Gates of the future. Who’s to say? Encouragement and appreciation of effort are the essential ‘greens’ for the mind every child must be given both generously and regularly to make their minds develop.
 
“Opening a corporal punishment free school to serve the best interests of the pupils and Bangladesh is intensely rewarding for me,” concluded Sir Frank.

BDST: 1651 HRS, JAN 24, 2015